Leaning Too Deep
by ManawaSasa
Summary: While leaving my husband alone was not my plan, fate said otherwise. I died in my husband's arms and found myself woke up in the body of a baby. In the form of the twin of a yellow-haired boy with a pair of three stripes whisker and blue-eyed who shouting dattebayo every second in the last of his sentence. Familiar?
1. Prologue

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought,'

* * *

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

-Charles R. Swindoll

* * *

Kushina did not expect to be pregnant with twins, moreover Minato. The blond Hokage who was his husband already had his jaw dropped on the floor because of the news.

"T-twins?" gulped Minato.

Minato had his hands that glistening with sweat gripped his Hokage cloak tightly. Kushina could see his husband sweat poured over his forehead swiftly.

"No! They are a triplet, dattebane!" huffed Kushina.

Minato, The Yellow Flash of Konoha, Kage-leveled shinobi on serviced, S-rank shinobi in the Bingo Books, and feared by Iwagakure's military troops, dropped to the floor unconscious. By now, half of Minato's soul had already out from its place.

"Oi, oi, don't die on me yet! I'm the one who bears the twins, not you, dattebane!"

Kushina tried to pull down Minato's soul and reattached it to its owner. Kushina had tried though to no avail.

"I can assure you that Minato-san just suffered a light shock, Kushina-san." Sarutobi Biwako's hands stopped her Mystical Palm Technique and shook her head.

'Kushina sure exaggerated things as usual,' mused Biwako.

"Bu-but, Minato-kun had unconscious for fifteen minutes, Biwako-sama!" said Kushina frantically.

"Kushina-san, please calm yourself! Careful, you have babies now!"

"Yes, I must calm myself."

Kushina breathed in and out repeatedly, soothing herself.

'Minato will be the death of me,' grumbled Kushina.

"Let Minato-kun rest for a while," stressed Biwako. "As for you, don't wear yourself out."

"I will, dattebane!" said Kushina, grinning with far too many teeth. Kushina laid unconscious Minato to her arms and carried him bridal style then jumped from three stories of Konoha Hospital.

"See you later, Biwako-sama!"

'Kushina, I thought you know the meaning of don't wear yourself out,' gritted Biwako.

* * *

 **Omake**

The wind blew gently through the night of Konoha. Civilians walked joyfully with their families. Groups of shinobi and kunoichi could be seen in the bar, chattering so happily. The citizens of Konoha radiated the night with their happiness, warming the night. It's all peaceful, but fate said otherwise.

"Get the hell away from the road! Move aside! It's critical condition!"

The citizens of Konoha turned their heads to the sound of the source. A bullet of red who carried the unconscious Yondaime could be seen bolted towards Konoha Hospital. It was terrifying but Konoha's citizen already accustomed to their behaviors. Life must go on, right?

* * *

 **This story dedicated to all Naruto lovers - including myself. I can't say myself as an avid reader of Naruto, but Naruto is one of my favorite manga and anime. I don't plan to stay with the plot as I want to wreck havoc on them. Review and favorite!**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	2. Count Down (1)

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

I just can't wait for the future.

-Amanda Seyfried

* * *

December 10th before Kyuubi Attack

"Hokage-sama, congratulations on your wife pregnancy. You will be a good father," said an Anbu.

"Thank you, Wolf. I can't wait to shower them with my everlasting love," said Minato. "Still, I can't believe it, getting twins instead of one. I'm such a lucky soon-to-be father, right?"

The Anbu did not budge from his place and waited for his leader to continue his speech.

"Wolf, I give you the task to guard Kyuubi Jinchuriki through her pregnancy during the day, and relieved you from Anbu's usual task until the appointed time," ordered Minato.

"Yes, sir," saluted Wolf.

Immediately, Wolf teleported to where the Kyuubi Jinchuriki was located and left Minato with his wistful gaze.

'Am I a failure as a teacher? Letting my only student be secluding himself?' pondered Minato. 'I hope I have more time to spend with you, Kakashi.'

* * *

January 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Kushina's feeling was as bright as the sun that shined on the sky. She did not even know that she followed by her Anbu guard. She felt too giddy to meet her old friend, Uchiha Mikoto.

Yesterday, Mikoto invited Kushina to her house to celebrate her third months of pregnancy. Mikoto also shared Kushina's happiness after hearing the news of Kushina's pregnancy. As Minato's wife, Kushina lived in one of Minato's safe house. It located at the outskirt of Konoha. Kushina took the travel to Uchiha Clan's residence slowly while appreciating the scenery around her vividly.

'It's the best day ever, dattebane,' beamed Kushina.

* * *

February 10th before Kyuubi Attack

As an Anbu, Wolf was grateful that his painted mask still on. Wolf was feeling a bit exasperated with his leader's wife behavior though.

'Why she even comes to Konoha orphanage in the first place?' thought Wolf sourly.

"Hey, child! You must be quite pleased to have my godly presence in front of you!" smirked Kushina. "What can I call you, child?"

The said child could only look dumb-founded at the red-haired woman's demeanor.

"They call me Sai, mam!" said the two years old child.

'She is beautiful,' thought the child in awe.

"It's nice to meet you, Sai-kun. My name is Uzumaki Kushina, dattebane!" introduced Kushina. "I hope you will get along with my children in the future!"

* * *

March 10th before Kyubi Attack

"Minato-kun, I did my daily check-up, and Biwako-sama said that we would have a son and a daughter, dattebane!" beamed Kushina.

"Really?" asked Minato. "I bet our son physically will get your look, and my daughter will get my look."

"I'm in," said Kushina. "I bet our son physically will get your look, and my daughter will get my look. Never underestimate Uzumaki's luck in the slightest, dattebane!"

"My, my, you are such a confident woman, Kushina-chan. I love you because of that, you know!" declared Minato while leaning his face toward Kushina.

"Ho-hold on, Minato-kun!" Kushina could imagine that her face was as red as her hair.

* * *

April 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Last month, Jiraiya had heard the news about Kushina's pregnancy from his toad messenger. He was excited that his pupil aware of the red-haired woman's feeling. Though, it took Minato long enough time to realize it. Unlike Minato, Jiraiya seemed could not propose his feelings to Konoha's Slug Princess without getting a hard beating.

'Damn it, Minato! You are such a lucky guy!' thought Jiraiya in sorrow.

However, Jiraiya's fear laid on the scroll in front of him. He did not even detect any suspicious presence until he looked a scroll innocently lied beside him this morning.

'Is it one of Minato Hiraishin prank again? Just because he completed that damn jutsu, he can not do this to me!'

Jiraiya opened the scroll cautiously. He prepared himself for things that would come out.

'One, two, three,'

(THE NINE-TAILED BEAST WOULD COME OUT IF UCHIHA MADARA APPEAR! DO NOT LET HIM TAKE THE NINE-TAILED AND UNITE ALL THE TAILED-BEASTS!)

* * *

 **I will write the jutsu or title naming between English and Japanese.** **For example, Fourth Hokage or Yondaime Hokage, Shadow Clone Jutsu or Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Review and favorite!**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	3. Count Down (2)

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

You can not fight against the future. Time is on our side.

-William E. Gladstone

* * *

May 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Minato never felt this old. Last month, Minato got a suspicious scroll from Jiraiya. First glance, there was nothing unusual, only words were written so neatly inside. However, there was not any chakra residue of the sender.

'Either the sender is a Fuinjutsu master, or this is a new invention of sealing scroll,' surmised Minato.

Minato sighed a deep breath. As a Hokage, the village would always become his priority. However, the scroll came at a-bad-timing. He could do nothing, but to worry about his future family well-being.

A legendary shinobi, one of the founding father of Konoha, and an Uchiha who could control tailed-beast, Uchiha Madara.

'Trust it or not? It is too good to be a coincidence.'

Minato could only hope, things that said on the scroll would not happen. He and Kushina were longing to build a family for so long. After all, He just wanted the best things happened to his future family.

'Maybe, I can be selfish for once,' wished Minato.

* * *

June 10th before Kyuubi Attack

For Tsunade, every day passed as a blur. Nights or days were the same things for Tsunade, as long as she could drink until drunk.

Bitterness was what Tsunade's feeling nowadays. She regretted so many things that she did in the past. She felt so useless not to prevent the demise of her loved one as if her strength that she gained was meaningless.

'Kawaki-kun, Dan-kun, I'm such a failure of sister and lover! I can not even help you!' Tsunade consumed her sixth bottle of sake sorrowfully.

"Oi, Hime! What I said about you can not blame yourself for things that you can not predict!"

Tsunade looked up at the source of the voice. She could see her former teammate's tired face.

"If it were about Konoha again, just fuck off Jiraiya! I'm enough of its bullshits!" huffed Tsunade.

Tsunade let her former teammate sat across her and stared at him sharply as if to figure what was Jiraiya's intent. Tsunade knew, whatever Jiraiya's doing here - brave enough to seek out her - it must be about village's fucking business.

"As the usual, always straight to the point. Well, it's half true and half false. Though, you must consider it. It is about your dear cousin's condition," said Jiraiya exasperated.

Tsunade knew how much Jiraiya loved the village, different from her - she hated it. However, hearing her third cousin twice removed's condition, you could say that Tsunade was a bit curious.

"Who is the lucky guy? He better takes care of her or else I will gut him, and then heal him repeatedly," said Tsunade with eyes that promising pain.

In the other place, Minato suddenly had goosebumps all over his body when he had his late dinner with his wife.

"Minato-kun, are you okay, dattebane?" said his wife with concern in her eyes.

"Hahaha! I'm okay! I just had a feeling that someone is talking about me," said Minato while rubbing his neck.

"You are silly sometimes, Minato-kun. Of course, there will be people talking about you. You are the Hokage."

"Yes, that was silly of me. Let's continue our dinner, Honey!" said Minato warmly to his wife.

* * *

"You know, it's my one and only apprentice, the blond one," informed Jiraiya. 'I'm sorry, Minato. I hope you have a long peaceful life after this.'

Jiraiya was sure, deep inside of Tsunade's heart, she still cared for Konoha especially because her only alive cousin still lived there.

"Hmmm, took him long enough to realize it," said Tsunade while sipping her sake.

"Yeah, it's better to realize it late, then never realize it, like someone I know," countered Jiraiya.

"Huh? You say something, Jiraiya. What is it again?"

"Just kidding, Hime. I want to live longer, you know," grimaced Jiraiya.

"Then be a good boy, Jiraiya. Also, I will try to consider it," huffed Tsunade.

* * *

July 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Kushina walked through the Konoha hospital corridor, searching for a room number 203. Kushina slowly walked because the extra baggage she brought along. She entered the room and found her best friend sat in the waiting room.

"Good morning, Mikoto-chan," greeted Kushina.

The said woman looked up from her reading and smiled brightly at the red-head woman.

"Morning, Kushina-chan. Do you here for the check up too?"

"Yes. How about you? When is your due date, dattebane?" asked Kushina excitedly.

Kushina sat beside Mikoto and stroking Mikoto's belly softly.

"Woah, your baby is kicking. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It is a boy. Fugaku-kun and I hoped it was a baby girl. But, fate said otherwise," laughed Mikoto softly. "The doctor also said I'm due on two weeks from now."

"Well, Minato-kun and I choose you to be my daughter's god-mother if you want it," offered Kushina.

"Really? Thank you so much Kushina-chan," said Mikoto while trying to hug Kushina. However, the baby bumps prevented them from doing it.

"Hahaha, no problem. Since I'm already Ita-chan godmother, dattebane," said Kushina eagerly. "So, where is Ita-chan now?"

"My son is in the academy now, so he can not accompany me anymore." Mikoto looked past Kushina. "As a replacement, I had his cousin to accompany me."

Kushina looked back and found a young boy a bit taller than Itachi with plastic groceries in his both hands walked towards her.

"Woah, who is this handsome young man, Mikoto-chan?"

The said young man blushed furiously at the thought of being called handsome.

"Kushina-chan, this is Uchiha Shisui. Shisui-kun, this is Uzumaki Kushina," introduced Mikoto.

"Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san." Shisui introduced himself and bowed respectfully.

"Polite and handsome, what a good mix. Please call me Kushina, dattebane," said Kushina while ruffling Shisui's curly hair. "So, how old are you Shisui-chan? Are you in the academy?"

The boy flinched a bit, either from the compliment or the suffixed Kushina used on him.

"I'm nine years old and already a genin, Kushina-san," answered Shisui politely.

Kushina sighed a deep breath and gave Mikoto the stink eyes.

"Your clan and prodigies," said Kushina while shaking her head.

* * *

August 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Sarutobi Hiruzen was old and knew it too well. That was one of many reasons why he retired as the Hokage. His best friend, Shimura Danzo also prompted him to step down as the Hokage against the village's protests.

Hiruzen had long hoped that Orochimaru would succeed him as the Hokage but, despite his best efforts, he could never convince him of the Will of Fire - that Konoha was a family that the Hokage had to risk everything to keep them safe.

From time to time, Hiruzen thought Orochimaru developed his own 'Will of Fire' in his twisted way. Hiruzen regretted the times when he did not stop Orochimaru thinking about immortality when he was a kid and led him on the better path.

Jiraiya, his other student, also refused to be the next Hokage because he thought he was not responsible enough for the duties. So, the last choice was Jiraiya's apprentice, Namikaze Minato.

'If it were Tsunade, the answer would be a big no,' thought Hiruzen.

That blond man also had proven himself in the strength and intelligence through third shinobi war. Namikaze Minato was a compassionate man who wore his Will of Fire on his sleeve.

'That was what an ideal Hokage should be,' Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed a deep breath and shook his head. 'What is in the past is in the past.'

"Hiruzen-sama, what do you think about the scroll?" said the blond man in front of him.

Hiruzen stepped out from his musing and looked at the inside of the scroll again. If Hiruzen were a Nara, he would already say 'troublesome' repeatedly.

"It looks real enough to be true and impossible enough to happen. Uchiha Madara was dead," said Hiruzen while waiting for the further explanation.

"I already cross-checked the data about Uchiha's who had been KIA or MIA. There are several possibilities. Either it was enemy's spy or, Konoha's former shinobi who pretends to be Madara and there are also other crazy possibilities that I do not want to talk about," said Minato with a grim face.

"I just want to build a proper family with Kushina-chan," Minato rubbed his face slowly and looked at Hiruzen right on the eyes. "So, I have a favor to ask you."

* * *

September 10th before Kyuubi Attack

Jiraiya was on speed on his way to Konoha. After convincing Tsunade to come back to Konoha, he traveled to Uzumaki's Clan Mask Storage Temple and searched for the real Shinigami Mask with Kushina's instruction on the mission scroll.

With the help of Fukasaku and Shima, Jiraiya found the real Shinigami Mask. As he quoted from his toads, 'only summons or a sage' who could know the real one.

Jiraiya was already near the gate of Konohagakure, but the suspicious chakra signature who followed him since from the temple made him stopped.

"I don't know who you are. But, you better come out now before you feel the wrath's of the Toad Sage," shouted Jiraiya sharply.

* * *

"Shizune, pack your things now! We are going to continue our traveling," shouted Tsunade.

"Y-yes, Tsunade-sama!" said Shizune while putting all of her things in the storage scrolls. "Where to, ma'am?"

"We are going back to Konohagakure," said the woman with determined eyes.

* * *

 **A penny for your thoughts? Review and favorite!**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	4. Count Down (3)

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.

-Robert A. Heinlein

* * *

September 10th before Kyuubi Attack

"I do not know who you are. However, you better come out now before you feel the wrath's of the Great Toad Sage," shouted Jiraiya sharply.

An-androgynous-figure stepped out from the line of the tree. Blank white mask and black cloak covered the body of the figure. The figure tilted its head and its shoulder-length red-haired gleaming under the sun.

"Hmm. The Great Toad Sage? However, you realized my presence too late," said the figure with a deep voice. "Better call you the Slow-poke Sage, right?"

Jiraiya looked at the figured in front of him and trying to identify the figure who openly provoked him. Jiraiya was already aware of his stalker who followed him three months ago. Every time he tried to pinpoint the source of the chakra, the figure's chakra would immediately disappear. So, it was a bit surprising for Jiraiya that his stalker finally came out from his hiding.

'Tch! Why this imbecile man! How dare he provoke me after stalked me for forever. Two can play that game.'

"So, the little mouse is brave enough to come out from his lair now," said Jiraiya while posing his foolish trademark pose.

"Why do not you search for a new lair rather than wasting your time to save bread crumbles for the winter?" interrogated Jiraiya.

The figure shook his head amusedly and put his left hand on his waist.

"Maybe, I am just one of the unknown fans that fated to meet you soon or another way," chuckled the figure.

'So he didn't pursue me for my spy work,' deduced Jiraiya.

"Ho, ho, ho. I am so flatter," said Jiraiya. "Now, cut out all of this crap! What is your intention to pursue me?"

Jiraiya could feel the figure's grin behind his mask.

"Maa. Don't you curious about the sender of that scroll?" mused the figure.

Jiraiya's body went rigid after hearing the revelation.

"So, it is you. Who are you? What is your intention toward Konoha?"

The figure stepped forward and stopped a few inches from Jiraiya. Jiraiya's mind already prepared his best jutsu to counter any upcoming-attacks from his stalker.

"I am a nobody. I am neither the enemy nor the ally of Konoha," said the figure mysteriously.

Suddenly, the figure leaped toward Jiraiya so fast. Jiraiya jumped back and crossed his hands forward to counter any attack. However, Jiraiya did not feel any harmful impact toward his body, but some great force passed through his body.

"Wish you the best! Sampai jumpa lagi [1]!" said the disappearing figure.

* * *

Jiraiya knocked one of the Hokage office windows and waiting for his pupilto open the window. Minato calmly looked at the source of the sound and found his teacher had arrived safely in one-piece. Minato let his teacher entered his office through the window then closed it tightly while smashing the seal for silence into the wall.

"How was your trip, sensei?" Minato skipped the usual banter and eyeing his teacher tiredly.

Jiraiya stood perfectly tense - all of his jolly attitudes had vanished - a few meters from his student's office desk. Jiraiya observed his pupil pointedly. Blood-shot eyes, black circles under the eyes, and face as pale as a paper detected from his pupil.

"I successfully convinced Tsunade-Hime for her involvement on that day," Jiraiya pushed the scroll that contains Shinigami mask toward Minato. "The Shinigami mask was already obtained too."

"Thank you for all of your hard work, sensei. But-," said Minato as if sensing the hesitate tone that Jiraiya used.

"Somehow, coincidently, I met the possible sender of that scroll," Jiraiya observed Minato's face that devoid of any expression. "This man has shoulder-length red-haired, and confessed that he doesn't have any alliance toward Konoha or other villages."

'Is it possible that the man is an Uzumaki?' pondered Minato.

"I suspected that the man is an Uzumaki considering his physic and ability to make that scroll," said Jiraiya as if sensing Minato's suspicion. "That man is a skillful shinobi."

'He is beyond skillful. He is dangerous, sensei,' snorted Minato. "Is there any other oddity that comes from this man?"

"Hmm. After this man wished me the best, he was saying something in a language that I have never heard."

"What did he say?"

Jiraiya repeatedly cleared his throat and trying to match the said man's accent.

"It was sampai jumpa lagi."

* * *

October 3rd before Kyuubi Attack

Jiraiya had been invited to family dinner by Kushina. At first, Jiraiya wanted to decline the offer politely, but Kushina had insisted him to join them. Here he was now, looking at the busy Minato who helped his wife preparing the dinner.

Jiraiya felt awkward for not helping them, but Minato effectively convinced Jiraiya to relax and enjoy himself.

'At least, I will help them washing the dish later,' promised Jiraiya in his mind.

Jiraiya looked around the room and noticed the Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja book innocently laid on the dining table. Jiraiya took the book and examined the neat cover - while recalling his memories of his journey with the Ame Orphans. He insisted the publisher published this books even after being told that his books would sell poorly. In spite of that, his only pupil loved so much his book.

'Hmmm. Maybe because those people consider this book as silly and absurd.'

"Minato-kun, you silly boy. You are still reading my Tale of Utterly Gutsy Ninja, huh?" Minato smiled brightly at his teacher while putting the foods on the table gently.

"Yup! I have read this book repeatedly and do not even feel bored." Minato knew what he said would stroke his teacher ego to the core.

"It is almost like an autobiography. The way the main character never gave up until the end was cool. The character is just like you, sensei."

"Y-you think so?" asked Jiraiya sheepishly.

Kushina who looked at Jiraiya, just shook her head amusedly while giving these men their chopsticks.

"Absolutely," Minato took the seat across his teacher. "When our son is born, we want to raise him like the main character of your story."

"So would it be okay if we named our son after the main character in your story?"

Minato and Kushina had already discussed their children names. Minato granted naming their son and Kushina naming their daughter.

"H-hey! Are you sure you want to do that? What about the girl?" Jiraiya frantically waved his hands. "Naruto is a name that came up to me while eating Ramen."

'Really? What kind of parents who are in the right mind naming their child after Ramen topping. However, Minato and Kushina were,' Jiraiya felt so exasperated toward these two.

"Naruto. It is a beautiful name." Kushina patted her tummy gently.

"As for the girl, I will name her Michiko, a child with fantastic knowledge."

'Kushina, you can just say that you want to inherit your Ramen addict to one of your children,' suspected Jiraiya.

"We hope our little Michiko will guide and help Naruto to never give up until the end," continued Kushina.

'A child with fantastic knowledge and a fish cake. I pity the boy so much, he is not even born, yet.' Jiraiya could only shake his head.

"If I name him, that makes me his Godfather, huh?" Jiraiya rubbed his head nervously.

"You are my teacher after all." Minato took the book from Jiraiya's hand and held the book tightly to his chest. "You are a man with true skill, sensei."

"Oi, oi, Minato-kun. Enough praising your sensei. He is already as red as a crab, dattebane," Kushina laughed so hard and pointed her hand at the said man.

"Yeah! Enough of your ego-booster, brat!" Jiraiya moved his hands toward the foods on the table. "Let's just eat all of this delicious foods, okay?"

"Alright, alright, sensei," sniggered Minato.

"Itadakimasu [2]," chorused the three of them.

* * *

October 8th before Kyuubi Attack

It had been one week since the arrival of Tsunade and Shizune. They checked in at the most expensive Inn at Konoha and put the bills into the Fourth Hokage's private account. When the night came, Tsunade went into a casino and gambled her non-existence-luck to the core.

Tsunade had met Kushina -her only living family- in Minato's house. Tsunade was surprised that had been chosen as Naruto's Godmother.

"I am honored Kushina-chan. But, you must know that I only stay here until I deliver your babies safely." Tsunade had been told about the mysterious scroll and felt so concerned about her cousin welfare.

"I know Tsunade-sama. I appreciate it," Kushina kneaded her fingers. "If something happens to me, or Minato, I hope you can raise my children."

"I know it is selfish, but I feel one of us will not come out alive." Kushina smiled sadly at the possibility.

Tsunade had been enough with all the bullshits in her life. She feared that someone dear to her would die again and again.

"I will not be the one who raises your children. It will be you and Minato. Both-Of-You." Tsunade pushed her hands toward Kushina.

"I bet with my life that you and Minato will die and both of your children will be orphans," swore Tsunade.

'I bet with my life that you and Minato will be alive and both of you will be the one who raises your children. This why I was known as the Legendary Sucker for real.'

"Th-thank you, Tsunade-sama." Kushina scrubbed her eyes rapidly, and would not be crying because of something like this.

"How about the girl's Godparents? Are they someone who I knew?" Tsunade patted Kushina hair to soothe her worries.

"Ha, ha, ha. It is the stuck up ass - I mean Fugaku-san - and Mikoto-chan," laughed Kushina while rubbing her neck.

"Do not tell me that you and Mikoto-san promised each other to marry your daughter to one of Mikoto-san's children, huh?" deduced Tsunade while sweat-dropping.

"Ha, ha, ha. It is not exactly like that, dattebane," said Kushina nervously.

'Is it that obvious?' thought Kushina questioningly.

* * *

 **[1] See you again**

 **[2] Thanks for the food**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	5. The Kyuubi Attack (1)

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.

-Winston Churchill

* * *

October 8th before Kyuubi Attack

Tsunade went back to her Inn, finding her former teammate waiting for her patiently in front of the door of her room.

'Why the hell is he here?' pondered Tsunade.

Soon, Jiraiya noticed Tsunade's arrival and welcomed her with his signature smile - that pierced through all the bad in Tsunade's life and all was well again - while waving both of his hands.

'Better do not tell him what I thought about his smile,' thought Tsunade.

"Don't you know what's time is it? I already waited for you for three hours," whined Jiraiya. "Three hours! How cruel of you!"

"As far as I know, I don't promise anything to do with you," frowned Tsunade. "And why the hell are you here, you creep?"

Jiraiya looked down and felt a bit disappointed, his charming smile did not sway Tsunade's heart at all.

'Why she never notice me? At least try to be a little nice to me,' thought Jiraiya sorrowly.

"I'm worried about you." Jiraiya looked at Tsunade steadily. "After all, you will help Kushina's delivery later."

Tsunade understood the hidden meaning of Jiraiya's words without a doubt. It was about her blood phobia, and baby delivery would be full of bloody scene.

This time, Tsunade gave Jiraiya the most gentle smile - in Jiraiya's opinion - he had ever seen. The real and pure gentle smile without a promising pain behind it. A smile that could only appear on a rare occasion - or never.

'I think his shock-face worth it,' giggled Tsunade.

"I think I already took care of it," smiled Tsunade mysteriously. "It is for Kushina, after all."

Tsunade slid her door open and slammed it close in front of a still shock Jiraiya - startling him. Jiraiya just looked at the close door with a confused expression, worried, then full of understanding.

However, both of them knew that those words had a special meaning that made those two, at least, in a momentary peace.

'You did not change at all, Tsunade.' Jiraiya chuckled at what Tsunade did while reminiscing about the past.

* * *

October 10th Kyuubi Attack

Tsunade had tried her best not to punch The Fourth Hokage on his face. Damn with his pretty face. It already for the third times that the man went inside of the delivery room instead guarding with those Anbu outside.

"Dammit, Hokage-sama! I have done this before. Just shut the fuck up!" shouted Tsunade - half muffled by the sheet that covering Kushina's knees. "Your concern and worry are useless here!"

Kushina tried her best to control her laughter at the expression that Minato was making - a gloomy kicked puppy - and relaxed her already tense body. Many said that giving birth would feel hurt as hell, and strenuous. Still, the pain was still bearable for Kushina. For now.

'Something like this not even worth to be called as a pain. I'm a strong woman, after all, dattebane,' indulged Kushina.

Minato rarely heard Tsunade cursing except when she was annoyed, and Minato did not want to be on her bad-side today. With a heavy heart, Minato walked out from the delivery room to his previous post - like a kicked puppy.

"If you enter this room again, I will castrate your dick here and make you can't make love with my cousin again!" barked Tsunade.

Minato scurried away when he heard the deadly advice. Minato might look girly, but when his manhood threatened, he would be stupid not to back off from it. And Tsunade detested annoying people to the heart.

"It's okay Minato! I'm the one who will maintain the seal. Just secure this place with those Anbu!" Jiraiya had his hands on Kushina's bare stomach in a pushing gesture, playing a tug of war with the Kyuubi. Literally. And the Kyuubi's power was not something you want to mess with, right?

'It all depends on you, Kushina,' thought Jiraiya positively.

Taji, the medic Anbu, tried her best to hold her snicker at The Fourth Hokage's childish act - luckily, she had mastered the Anbu's blank face. It was amusing and fresh for her, to see her leader wore different expression beside the serious and stern ones. And it was also quite honored for her to work alongside with two of The Legendary Sannin.

* * *

Kushina was great discomfort, not because the babies, but the seal that holding the Kyuubi started warming up - the Kyuubi tried to break free. It was worrisome, but Kushina was hardening her resolve to make the Kyuubi at bay. Jiraiya was also doing his best, not let the Kyuubi escaped.

Kushina did not know if it were a coincidence or a pure chance for having twins. It was not like she was ungrateful, but she must make double-effort to push two instead of one - troublesome, she would say if she were a Nara. After all, It was rare for Uzumaki women to give birth twins, and now she blamed all of this to Minato - and his unknown genes.

'Minato, you better treat me tons of Ramen after this or else I will make you the one who bears the child next time, dattebane.'

"Push harder Kushina-chan! I know you can do it. And the head was already visible." Tsunade encouraged Kushina. "And it's a red-haired."

Kushina pushed harder to her best and tried conquering the contraction while gasping for the air. But, the most thing that concerned Kushina was the Kyuubi that trying to break free.

'Dammit! Why don't you stay fucking calm inside me, Kyuubi?'

Then, Kushina remembered the bet that she made with her husband. She could already imagine Minato's defeated face if he knew that the red-haired baby was her wannabe daughter - of course, she did not know yet but called it as a mother's intuition.

Kushina was planning to raise her baby girl to be a badass woman and her baby boy as a future gentleman, not the heartbreaker like his husband. Though, Kushina did not realize that she was a heartbreaker too in her younger age.

'First, I must win this fight, dattebane,' grunted Kushina. 'Tch! Is there any Ninjutsu or Fuinjustsu that could pop babies in a second? If there is, I will gladly learn it, dattebane.'

Jiraiya could only grimace at the sounds and faces that Kushina was making. Because of those, he was so grateful that he was born as a man instead of a woman.

"I always forget how weak and frightened men are when they saw a woman giving birth," said Tsunade as if she could read what Jiraiya had in his mind.

"Yeah, your species kinda sucks at a thing like this, dattebane," added Kushina with an agreement of Tsunade's previous statement, as if it was the universal knowledge.

"Well, it's because I'm a man and we were already tormented enough through the ninth months - for you tenth months - of your species's pregnancy - to fulfill all of your impossible cravings," accused Jiraiya back while recalling his friend's story.

"Well, it is your responsibility after planting your seeds on your woman." Tsunade mimicked the way of her former teammate spoke. "And don't forget the diaper duty that comes afterward."

'Tsunade is right. I will make Minato to be on diaper duty, Hokage or not. I already bore his children for ten months, and it's my time to spend my luxurious time resting, dattebane.'

Jiraiya flinched at the face Kushina was making, full of mischievousness while contorting in pain, and he knew what Kushina's plan in her mind for his poor pupil.

'Tsunade, you demon! You successfully planted your dangerous ideology to Kushina. Look what you've done! Poor Minato, may your soul rests in peace.'

On the other side, Minato felt goosebumps all over his body, the same kind as before.

'I'm sure it's not civilians who are talking about me this time.'

* * *

For sure, today was the best day for Taji. Not just she saw her leader's childish antics, she could also see the Legendary Sannin's bickering - sullied their powerful images. With her dull Anbu's daily life, entertainment like this could not be missed out.

'If I die now, I think it's worth after seeing this kind of entertainment,' mused Taji.

Several hours of grunting and moaning, Kushina shut her eyes tightly. Her muscles were working to their best to pop out the babies. Then she felt it, the easing contraction that filled back by another infant, the slickness that came out from her uterus. Kushina could not comprehend things that happened because the dizziness that pummeled her head, and gasped for the air as if had not enough oxygen.

"Girl," informed Tsunade while giving the baby to Taji.

A shocked of wail could be heard all over the room. A healthy baby's cry. Kushina could see from the corner of her eyes that Taji was cleaning and soothing to a bundle of towels with strands of red-haired poking out.

Kushina wanted to cry from the overwhelming happiness. Finally, her efforts were not in vain. She looked again at her baby girl who was in the gentle care of Taji, and Michiko's cry was already subdued by Taji's rocking back and forth action.

'Michiko, Michiko, Michiko, my dear daughter,' chanted Kushina.

"Congratulations, Kushina-chan! You are a mother now," said Jiraiya with his hands still on Kushina's stomach.

Kushina readily her body for the next contraction, and gripped Jiraiya's hand tightly. Then she realized the conversation that Tsunade and Taji were having in a hushed voice about her daughter's condition.

"Are you sure it-"

"-It's overload her system."

"-too many of them-"

"Is there something wrong with my daughter?" Kushina asked timidly.

"Relax," stated Tsunade calmly. "There is nothing wrong with your daughter. You have a healthy baby girl. Good work, Kushina-chan!"

Kushina relaxed at the said words and smiled to herself at the small victory over the bet that she made with his husband.

'You owe me a lot, Minato,' grunted Kushina.

Kushina continued her push and hoping it would not take a lot of time for the second baby.

"A boy, Kushina-chan," as if the God up there heard Kushina's pray.

"It's a healthy baby boy."

Tsunade checked and cleaned the baby herself, then put the baby in the towel, gesturing Taji to take the boy.

The blond babe was suddenly wailing loudly and making his twin who was successfully subdued, wailed too. Now, it was a chorus of two wailing healthy babies. Such lovely music, indeed.

* * *

Namikaze Minato who had been kicked out was slightly sulking. It was not better when these Anbu were giving him an amused look. He could tell it, even if with their masks on.

There were four Anbu who secured the outside of the delivery room. Each of them was holding the barrier seals of this place. No one could pass this place before identifying their chakra signatures first - so, it was a one-way-entrance.

The sun had gone to rest, and the moon took its place as the darkness begun to surround Konoha. It had been three hours since Kushina's water broke and Kushina had not delivered yet. This waiting action was making Minato anxious.

'I think, I owe Kushina a lot,' pondered Minato.

Minato hid in the line of trees, so different from those Anbu who visible by everyone else that passed them. So far so good, there was not any dangerous threats or foreign chakra that approaching these place. However, the air was thick with tension that promised the upcoming threats. Minato unmistakably felt it.

Then, in the split of seconds, the Anbu who were guarding, had their necks ruptured at an impossible angle. It happened so fast that Minato took a bit of time to grasp the situation. A man with a pattern-mask and hooded cloak could be seen standing in the middle of those lifeless Anbu and walked his way towards the entrance of the delivery room effortlessly.

Promptly, Minato transported himself behind the masked man and swinging his special kunai toward the man. However, the man had dodged the strike easily and appeared behind Minato.

'He is fast.' Minato surmised the man's action.

There was only one shinobi who could on par with Minato in the matter of speed which was A, the Fourth Raikage. It was too good to be true if his attacker was A.

"Got you!" The masked man grabbed the collar of Minato's jounin vest and tried to drag him. Minato unmistakably felt an ache in his body for being forced into a different place without his consent.

Minato transported himself to the nearest seal of his special kunai - still in the outside of Kushina's delivery room - to out from the masked man's grasp. This area was so beneficial for Minato, with his seals and special kunai scattered around the field.

'A shinobi who outmaneuvered these Anbu, who knew that the Kyuubi's seal would weaken during the childbirth.' Minato glared at the masked man viciously and leaked his killing intent.

'He also went in and out of the barrier set up on Konoha by Konohagakure's specialist without being caught. He is a dangerous shinobi.'

"Are you Uchiha Madara?" Minato stared at the masked man in front of him.

The masked man pushed his hood back and showed his spiky jet-black hair.

"No, that's impossible." Minato examined the masked man again.

"He's dead."

"Really?" The masked man tilted his head. "I wonder about that."

"At this point, it doesn't matter who you are." Minato eyed the man carefully.

"I won't let you take the Kyuubi and harm its Jinchuriki."

* * *

Taji was still rocking the babies gently when she found her leader walked towards her from the main entrance of the room.

"Hokage-sama, congratulations!" said Taji while giving Minato a chance to hold his son. "You got a pair of handful children."

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at Minato and congratulated him. Kushina peeked a glance at her husband and felt something different about her husband.

'He isn't your husband,' and Kushina's gut feeling was never wrong.

"How things were out there, Minato?" asked Jiraiya while eyeing Minato who held Naruto affectionately.

"Good," Minato answered smoothly. "And there aren't any intruders,"

Kushina eyed his husband suspiciously.

"You owe me a lot of your days, Minato-kun!" Kushina sighed out and tried to appease her worry. The said man simply sweatdropped nervously and still held Naruto.

"All right!" Jiraiya bumped his fist into his open palm. "Kushina, I know you've gone through the childbirth, but I'm going to seal the Kyuubi now,'

Suddenly, a gurgling sound heard from Taji. A kunai stuck out from Taji's chest, drawing out so much blood from the wound. The attacker swiftly pulled out the kunai and let the lifeless woman fell hard to the floor. Tsunade jumped back a few meters away to dodge the upcoming kunai that went on her way too.

"What the hell, Minato?" shouted Tsunade angrily. "Or what do you want, faked-Minato?"

The faked-Minato just ignored Tsunade and held the bundle that accommodating Naruto safely in a threatening way with his sharp kunai.

"Jiraiya, get away from the Jinchuriki." The nervous on Minato face vanished and replaced by a sickly sweet smile.

"Otherwise, this child's life will end in one minute."

The faked-Minato pointed his sharp kunai to Naruto's neck too close for Jiraiya's comfort. The killing intent that leaked from the man was making Naruto began to cry. And, louder this time.

'How the hell did he get past the barrier? This man...' Jiraiya stared at the faked Minato with his piercing glare. 'Who the hell is he?'

Jiraiya could not find any flaws in the Transformation Jutsu on his enemy. To be looked as real as the original and had the same chakra pathway, it unnerved Jiraiya so much.

Kushina gritted her teeth in pain while a blob of black mass came out from the hole of Kushina's seal on her stomach. The writing of the Kyuubi's seal was also spreading on Kushina's body at a frightening rate.

"Kushina!" Tsunade approached Kushina with Michiko in her arms and eyed the Kyuubi seal that still unsealed. "Jiraiya, do something!"

Jiraiya did not want to rush the thing when his godson held as a captive. Considering his choice could prolong, or end his godson's life in a second.

"Get away from the Jinchuriki!" warned the faked-Minato once again. "Don't you care what happens to this kid?"

"Wait!" said Jiraiya in stopping motion. "Calm down!"

"Speak for yourself, Jiraiya." The faked-Minato pushed Naruto up into the air while his other hand prepared to stab Naruto. "I'm as cool as can be."

"Naruto!" Kushina shrieked in horror.

'How dare him trying to kill my son with my husband face.' Kushina tried to push down the remaining of Kyuubi's seal into her body. 'Minato, where are you?'

Jiraiya fastly launched himself to catch Naruto, who still up in the air while Tsunade helped Jiraiya by distracting the faked-Minato with her ax kick toward the floor.

The man dodged easily and threw several kunai to Tsunade who swiftly avoided them. The baby in Tsunade arms began to cry because the fast motions that Tsunade did.

"Now!" Commanded the faked-Minato into thin air. Kushina did not know what happened to her, but surely darkness began engulfing her vision.

'Naru-' Kushina lost her consciousness.

"Kushina!" Tsunade dashed toward Kushina, but it was too late. A black-and-white-being emerged from the floor and engulfed Kushina with its Venus-fly-trap looked like so fast.

The faked-Minato released his dark chuckle and the appearance slowly changed - into the white-being resembled with Kushina's kidnapper. A smirk full of satisfaction emerged from the white-man-being.

"It is the time." The yellow-eyed man sunk down to the floor, leaving the dumbfounded Jiraiya and Tsunade.

* * *

Minato had clashed with the masked man for a few minutes. But, Minato realized that his enemy needed a few seconds to materialize himself later to attack Minato. So, Minato planned to pause his next attack and waited for the enemy's action first.

'He uses the Teleportation Jutsu that could be equal with mine.' Minato glared at the masked man. 'Then, I can only aim for him when we both strike blows.'

"Why are you targeting Konohagakure?" Minato bought some time to caught his enemy off guard.

"I could say I did it on a whim, or that I planned it." The masked man pulled a long chain out of one of his sleeves and strapped it to both of his wrists. "Or that it's war, or that it's for peace,"

Minato eyed the new weapon wearily and prepared himself for the worst.

'Whatever the case, he's no ordinary man, his Teleportation Jutsu surpasses both Nidaime's and mine.' Minato put his special kunai in front of his face and ready to execute his attack.

'And the one who attacks an instant quicker than the other will surely win this battle.'

Both of the men ran towards each other quickly. Minato threw his special kunai forward his enemy as the kunai passed through his enemy. The masked man brought up his right hand to grab the collar of Minato's jounin vest.

The act almost succeeded, but the Rasengan connected the back of his body, preventing the masked man's action. In that time, Minato formed Rasengan on his other hand quickly and transported himself to his special kunai when it had passed the masked man's head.

'Dammit! He flew to that kunai from earlier,' cursed the masked man. A black ink sealing appeared on the masked man back without his knowledge.

The masked man jumped away from Minato and tried recovering from the attack. The attack reduced the masked man agility.

Minato could see the wound that he inflicted on his enemy. One hand of the enemy fell to the ground and reduced into mushy things.

"It is the time." A deep voice emerged from the ground next to the masked man. "You let this vermin to beat you like this."

Minato saw a black-and-white-being with Venus-fly-trap feature carefully. The yellow-eyed man was undoubtedly the masked man partner.

'He also has some kind of jutsu that similar to the Teleportation Jutsu.'

The masked man finally regained himself and saluted with his remaining hand cheerfully.

"Until then." The masked man transported himself into the swirl of air and the Venus-fly-trap man sunk down into the ground.

* * *

 **Me: "Fuck off! You damned masked-man!"**

 **Don't forget to review and favorite!**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	6. The Kyuubi Attack (2)

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

Love is sacrifice.

-David Oyelowo

* * *

October 10th Kyuubi Attack

A pair of the black-ink-sealing chain was spreading out from Kushina's body. Each of the seals was binding both of Kushina's hands widely to the pillars on her side automatically. The pull of the sealing made Kushina regained her consciousness right away. Her half-open eyelids took her surrounding vividly.

Kushina, for once, never felt this helpless since the kidnapping that Kumogakure did to her. Forcefully bound and rendered helplessly, waiting for someone to rescue her. Kushina already tried to push her opened-sealing with her chakra, but quickly realized how futile it was when a sharp pain lanced through her head and colorful spots flashed in front of her eyes. It felt like her whole beaten, and every movement caused some of Kushina's muscle or bone to ache. She was the definition of a damsel in distress now.

'Is my tenant that famous to the point this lunatic come after me?' grunted Kushina.

Sometimes, Kushina wondered that either her life was 'fortunate' or bad things seemed had things for Kushina since there had always something happened to her or her loved ones. In the end, it was not dying that scared Kushina but her loved ones in pain.

'Well, I need to get out first.'

Kushina looked up to examine her kidnapper. She gathered the rest of her strength to ask the obvious question.

"Just," said Kushina shaky. "What do you want?"

Kushina had already several possible answers to her question in her mind. Plus, asking her kidnapper about his true aim would not hurt anyone - besides her, right?

The said man just looked at her hostage in a demeaning way. He was weighing his options either answered the question or just ignored it. After all, his captive was already on the brink of death, at least, he could humor her a bit.

"I'm going to pull the Kyuubi out of you." The man stated the obvious. "And destroy Konohagakure."

"Wh-what?" Kushina swallowed the dreading feeling in her gut.

Even when she already predicted the answer, it still felt so different hearing it straight from your kidnapper. And it clearly said without remorse too.

"Minato's Teleportation Jutsu allows him to move instantly between locations marked with Jutsu formulas," continued the man. "He even marked your sealing formula with it too, to protect you."

Kushina looked the man wearily. She tried to speculate how long had the man planned this attack. And Kushina did not want to know the answer. Considering, he knew the additional seal from Minato in her original Kyuubi's seal.

"However, I managed to put a distance between you." The man raised his remaining hand to make the one-handed seal. "Don't you want to know how long I've waited for this moment?"

Kushina gulped her saliva. She swore. She did not need or want to hear the details of her kidnapper anymore. She stared directly into the eye hole of her kidnapper's mask, trying to figure out her kidnapper's identity. It was a wrong move from Kushina's side, and Kushina's kidnapper took it as an opportunity to launch his attack.

Kushina's tenant, the Kyuubi, also stared at the man's sight. The Kyuubi held the fear and anger when it realized its mistake. Somehow, it found itself look at the same eye that controlled its so long times ago. The same eye that made itself felt so much humiliation.

'This man-' the line of Kyuubi's thought cut out when the Kyuubi felt had lost its control over its own body. The three tomoe that spinning in the Kyuubi's red-eyed could already be one of the proofs.

In the next minute, Kushina felt fiery burst pulsated from her stomach, intensifying with every ounce of red chakra that seeped out from her own body. The pain was so much that Kushina's pupil rolled to the back of her eyes. And the force nearly made her came into the sweet oblivion.

"Now." the man raised his voice. "Come out, Kyuubi!"

Within seconds, a blob of black-purple chakra burst out of Kushina's opened-seal. From the blob grew limbs until looked like sort of giant fox with a terrifying roar.

The giant fox came out from its glory and lashing its massive tails around. The deafening sounds of its roar were splitting the silence of the night. Almost as soon as the monster came out, the once pale night sky was now shielded by a dense of malicious chakra that would suffocate any single living things in its vicinity.

* * *

Minato immediately transported himself inside of Kushina's delivery room, to find Jiraiya and Tsunade held his children securely. With one swift glance, Minato deduced about the lack of his wife whereabouts in this place.

"Jiraiya-sensei! Tsunade-sama!" Minato's voice made Jiraiya and Tsunade went out from whatever reverie they had before. "Where is Kushina-chan?"

The said man and woman startled at the new voice. Considering what had happened to them, they did not let their guard down for the second time.

"What did you say about the Tale of Utterly Gutsy Ninja book?" Jiraiya pulled out his kunai to defend the baby that he held. Jiraiya was sure if this man were the real Minato, this man would know the answer.

"The book is almost like an autobiography," answered Minato automatically. "The main character never gave up and just like you, Sensei."

Jiraiya nodded his head to Tsunade. Confirming the man in front of him was the real Minato, not some imposter.

"Thank goodness! I thought you're an imposter," huffed Jiraiya.

"Kushina abducted by a Venus man look like when we off guard."

"We're sorry, Minato," continued Tsunade. "We let our guard down when your imposter entered this room leisurely. We thought he was the real you."

Minato gritted his teeth while relaxed his stiff fists. All of his precautions were useless and his plans ruined. Those men were not only could use unfamiliar Teleportation Jutsu, but one of them could also transform into him flawlessly.

'The masked man distracted me so his partners could enter this room effortlessly. I played all of this time,' surmised Minato.

Those men would be the danger for his family and his beloved village if they did not stop immediately. And those men made Minato livid, for sure.

Minato examined the babies that carried both by Jiraiya and Tsunade. The proof of Minato and Kushina love. The joy of their life. And he could not imagine if he let his children grow up motherless.

Minato gave a sign to Jiraiya and Tsunade to hold his shoulder. In a second, they vanished from the delivery room and appeared again in one of Minato's safe house.

"Hime, please protect Michiko and Naruto." Jiraiya gave the baby to Tsunade.

"Michiko, Naruto, please wait for a while. I have to go and save your mother," promised Minato.

Tsunade laid both of the babies in the existed bed in the room and murmured something to calm down the babies. Minato took a last glance at his children, carving all of their features to his memory. The tingling sensation from his additional seal on Kushina made him went back to the reality.

"Jiraiya-sensei, come on!" Jiraiya put his hand on Minato's shoulder. Minato transported themselves to wherever his seal directed them.

* * *

Kushina's lifeline ripped out forcefully. The intensity of pain would make Kushina passed out if she were not an Uzumaki. The fall to the ground was not registered in Kushina's mind anymore, considering she was already too numb to feel it. The red chakra that surrounded her also vanished.

"Good." The masked man walked away from his captive. "Now, I'll go straight to Konohagakure."

"Hold it!" Kushina propped her hands to stand up, but her limbs against her. Kushina winced on the ground and glared at the masked man fiercely.

"Ma, Uzumaki Kunoichi is honestly amazing," praised the masked man.

"You don't die right away after the Bijuu extracted." The masked man looked at Kushina detachedly. For once, Kushina felt that her life flashed before her eyes.

"How about this?" said the masked man with an ominous voice. "I'll use this thing to kill you."

The giant-beast swished one of its claw hand to decapitate its former Jinchuriki. Though, if you looked at the beast carefully, it tried to hold its action.

'Michiko, Naruto, your mother might not come home tonight.' Kushina closed her eyes, accepting her fate. 'Minato, you better take care of them seriously.'

Extremely robust claw of the beast landed on the ground with a loud boom. Such action positively crushed anything below the attack into a grain of dust. Though, a yellow-blur flashed before the paw of the beast landed on the ground.

Across of the ground, the Yellow Flash of Konoha arrived to save Kushina before the paw of the beast grained her to dust. Away from the monster, Minato carried Kushina bridal style tightly.

'I'm sorry, Kushina. I was too late.' Minato examined Kushina.

"Yellow Flash of Konoha, you're just as quick as the rumor said," the masked man focused all of his attention fully to Minato. "But, you're not as punctual as your records said."

Minato ignored the remarked and carefully looked at his wife condition. Her face was so pale, and the bags under her eyes also indicated how worse was Kushina's mental state.

"Are-" Kushina tried to focus her eyesight. "-they okay?"

"Yes, they're fine," assured Minato. "They're in a safe place for now."

"Thank goodness." Kushina felt so relieved this time. "Minato, you must stop that man! He's heading to Konohagakure."

Minato looked at his behind and glared viciously at the man, killing intent was almost comparable to the Kyuubi's. However, the masked man did not recoil at all at the wave of killing intent.

Abruptly, fists coated with chakra aimed at the masked man from his behind. The strike just passed through the masked man along with the body of his attacker, Jiraiya.

'My aim passed through his body,' warned Jiraiya's mind. Soon, Jiraiya stirred his body into defensive form and jumped away from the man.

Minato transported behind Jiraiya and gave Kushina to Jiraiya gently.

"Jiraiya-sensei." Minato watched Kushina's helpless figure in Jiraiya's strong arms. "Take care of Kushina and prepare the sealing now."

The masked man knew that he had no chance to fight both men after the wound that he got. Furthermore, his partners were already in Konohagakure, waiting for the release of Kyuubi.

"You're too late Minato. Kyuubi is-" the sentence halted when Minato's special kunai cut through the man's head. "Mine."

The masked man had forcefully immaterialized his body to avoid the incoming attack. The minus of his ability that he must solidify for a few seconds before using it again.

'Minato would transport behind me,' thought the masked man.

The masked man swung his remaining hand to his behind, ready to catch the Yellow Flash of Konoha that he predicted would appear behind him. After the kunai passed him, his body immediately became solid. And, the man he was waiting for didn't come out from his behind, but in front of him with his palm thrust to the masked man chest.

'Contract seal! He marked my body somewhere.' The horror plastered on the masked man mind. 'He didn't intend to get rid of me. He wants to separate the Kyuubi from me.'

"With this, the Kyuubi no longer belongs to you," declared Minato.

Minato had planned this move at the last minute. He would feign his real attack with his kunai and transported himself to the seal on the masked man body as the anchor.

After successfully getting Kyuubi out of control, the eyes of Kyuubi went back to the usual cat-slit pupil. The giant beast was also slowly regained its consciousness.

"After all of this, I must hand it to The Fourth," spoke the masked man with a distasteful tone. "You wounded me and managed to sever my ties with the Kyuubi."

The masked man leaped away from Minato, preparing his escape.

"Kyuubi will be my plaything again, and I'm going to take over the world," threatened the masked man. "And there are so many ways to go about doing that."

The masked man vanished into the swirl of air, successfully made his escape.

'That tone.' Minato stared into thin air. 'He was not joking around.'

* * *

The Venus-fly-trap man emerged out from The Fourth Hokage's sculpture head. He already waited for his partner to join him, but until now, there was no sign of his partner. A few seconds later, the other Venus-fly-trap man partner emerged behind him and gave him a pointed look.

''The plan has failed.''

The message was clear for both of them.

* * *

 **Me: "Kushina, that lunatic is your husband's former student!"**

 **Don't forget to review and favorite! Let me hear your thought!**

 **Edited: 8/20/2018**


	7. Died and Reincarnated

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.

-Socrates

* * *

I was dead. I was sure I was already dead. I died in the arms of my beloved and still remembered it clearly.

He held me with warm caress while murmuring something into my ear. I caught some words how he would always love me repeatedly.

He held me lightly yet firmly. He caused me no pain - because I was already in one - but the numbness slowly took my consciousness away.

I opened my eyes a bit and gasped in a breath, but nothing came. I choked on my dry tongue. In desperation, I sucked in another breath, tears pooling in my eyes.

Remembering every feature of him, until my last. I tried to speak, but none came. My heart stopped, and I painfully felt it. My mouth gave one final sigh. Then I felt nothing, nothing at all.

'I will always love you too,' thought me unsaid. 'Even in the afterlife.'

That was why I thought it was the end for me. It was the final of my story. My life. However, here I was, embraced in the dark of nothingness.

It was not that I was afraid of death. In fact, I found death intriguing.

Why?

People always had so many versions of death. Even without knowing which one was the truth.

Why?

Because of that, I was always questioning myself. Where would I go? Would I be a ghost and haunting people? Would I sleep forever in this darkness alone? Must I be waiting for him? Would I go to Heaven or Hell? Garden of Eden? Reincarnation? Did I become one with the stars?

As if someone up there answered my questions, my body starting to get sucked into something akin to a vortex.

'What the hell?' alarmed my mind.

The peace voluntarily broke, and a series of voices assaulted my hearing. The warm that suddenly surrounded my body did not lessen my confused and panic mind, especially if voices of destruction, explosion, and chaos heard.

'Can dead people die twice in a day?' pondered me.

Then, something clicked in my mind. That somehow I was being reincarnated.

I got a second chance to live again. To feel the air of freedom, or to not make the same wrong decision again. And I could feel the abundance of tears that flowing from my eyes.

Tears of regret, and happiness.

* * *

It took me so many times to convince myself that I got reincarnated. That I got a second chance to live again.

I tried to move my body though to no avail. My mind and my muscle memories positively clashed with each other. And it was such an aggravating feeling.

'Be smart! You are just a newborn,' adviced my mind. 'Why don't you just sit back and relax?'

So, here I was, on my back helplessly and tried to stay awake. Wherever I was now, it was so different from that time. This place felt peaceful. Well, it was until something akin to snoring sound broke it.

I squinted my eyes to the source of the sound that next to me. With blurry vision, I could only make the yellow-colored and its small stature.

'Is it a baby? Like me?' questioned my mind. 'Are we twins?'

I blinked my eyes twice yet my vision still blurry. Well, I guessed this was the limit of my new eyes.

Though, the blurriness made me float between the line of consciousness back and forth. I aimed to stay awake, but I could not keep focus anymore.

'Well, sleep will suffice for now,' decided me.

I closed my heavy eyes and retreated into darkness.

* * *

 **Edited: 8/23/2018**


	8. Live with No Regret!

"Normal Speech"

'Inside Thought'

* * *

Acceptance doesn't mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there's got to be a way through it.

-Michael J. Fox

* * *

"-ko, Miko-tan."

A childish voice shook me out from my reverie. A tiny hand tugged the hem of my clothes repeatedly. It seemed, my momentary silence upset the yellow-haired toddler in front of me.

"Miko-tan okay?"

The two years old toddler with a pair of cute whisker that plastered on his face asked me worriedly. Those blue eyes inspected me if something wrong happened to me.

"Hmmm. O-okay, Naru-tan."

The lack of clear pronunciation made my mouth twitched a bit. However, my answer considered being alright by the toddler. The said toddler went back to his castle block while gave me some of the blocks. I indulged him by building my castle, accompanied him in playing. Despite that, I could not shake this irritating feeling of mine. I'm an adult - trapped in this toddler's body - for God's sake, I needed an adult entertainment. [Author: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

While silently grudging, I could not help myself stopped staring at a red-haired toddler in front of me which turned out to be myself. In the last two years since being reincarnated, for the first time, I saw the appearance of my current body today. In those years ago, I avoided all the windows and mirrors in the house at all cost. I was afraid when I saw myself in there I would not recognize myself anymore.

A pair of blank blue eyes stared back at me. My pale cheeks flushed under a set of three stripes cute whisker. Surprisingly, I had straight-smooth red hair. It was not a bright red, but dark like blood. I did not recognize myself anymore, as there was nothing left from the previous me. I only saw a reflection of a tiny toddler with a stricken expression.

In particular, all of my new features reminded me of my current mother, Uzumaki Kushina, except for the blue eyes and whiskers. When it came to genetics, I was sure this body would bloom beautifully in the future with those curves and postures.

'Damn, I knew it! I'll be such a hottie in the future!'

Contrary to me, all Naruto's features had a similarity to Minato. Even Naruto could pass as one of Minato's shadow clone for sure. Speak of the devil, the man so-called as father showed up before us.

His unkempt yellow hair swayed back and forth, while he made his way toward us. He was not the same vigorous youth as portrayed by the media in my past world. I could only see a man who carried heavy loads on his shoulders as if he brought the burden of the world by himself. Behind his sunny smile, I knew that he hid his tired face, especially after facing shameless people. Therefore, this man would play the fatherly-doting facade flawlessly if I were not his daughter. Too bad, I was his daughter.

"Daddy, Naru-tan miss daddy."

Knowing his daddy rarely visited them, Naruto flung himself to Minato's embrace. It seemed his longing for his daddy was prominent than his desire to play with toys. Unlike him, I only stared at Minato blankly. Moreover, Minato did not have any personal meaning in my heart yet.

"This much! Naru-tan miss daddy this much."

Naruto made a large circle gesture with his hands while smiling at Minato charmingly. Awkwardly, I approached the man and greeted him.

"Daddy."

I patted Minato's other hand that not carried Naruto, acknowledging his presence. It was hella awkward for me calling someone younger than me with daddy.

Did not deter by my lack of enthusiasm of seeing him, he scoped me to his embrace as he did to Naruto.

Minato hummed approvingly of Naruto who animatedly recited how we spent the day by playing together. Not to garner the man's attention to me, I let Naruto took the limelight. Because I did not want the recognition of this man. What if he noticed something wrong with me? That his daughter was not as simple as it seemed.

'Well, I don't want to have any Yamanaka mind raping my mind.'

Suddenly, Minato said something that made me regret not to pay attention to my surrounding.

"Hold tight to daddy, okay?"

I held back a string of curses as I felt my body forcefully sucked into somewhere, different from Naruto who shrieked gleefully.

* * *

Not so long, I found myself seated on a high stool chair. Minato on my right while Naruto on his right. I smiled inwardly at Minato's choice of place for having dinner. I did not think that Minato would this eager to convert his children to be ramen-believers like him.

I quietly snorted at the notion. Winning the love of his children through their stomach while influencing his taste buds to us. Minato had a long way to go.

While inwardly criticizing Minato, I inspected Ramen Ichiraku Restaurant. It was not as small as I thought it would be. A long counter table restricted the customers entered the kitchen area while we still could see the process of ramen making. The high stool chair was comfortable enough to sit on, in fact, it could make the yellow-haired bundle-of-energy sat on the chair calmly. As the wall painted by light brown color, the light that emitted by yellow bulbs exuded warm and familiar feelings of a family restaurant.

Seeing us, Teuchi, the owner welcomed us with his business smile. There was no sign of Ayame yet, his daughter.

"Welcome at Ramen Ichiraku, Minato-san. It has been ages since your last visit."

The said man could only scratch his nape while smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, I've been busy lately, Teuchi-san."

Teuchi nodded his head in an understanding manner as he realized his new little customers.

"So, what're your order? How about my new little customers choose them?"

As Naruto and I did not know the menu, we stared at Minato in a questioning gaze.

"Let's try what daddy tries, okay?"

Minato suggested something to our ears and encouraged us to say it to Teuchi.

"I want a bowl of Miso Chashu Pork Ramen, please," said me politely then followed by Naruto. "Uncle Teuchi, one Miso Chashu Pork Ramen."

"My, you have polite and smart children, Minato-san. What's your name little one?"

As the question directed to me, I introduced myself politely.

"My name is Uzumaki Michiko. Nice to meet you, Teuchi-san."

I bent my body a bit to give the man a little bow. Now, Teuchi gave an expectant gaze toward Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage, dattebayo!"

Then, he gave an awkward bow, trying to imitate mine. While Naruto's self-introduction amused Teuchi to no end, my eyebrow twitched a bit remembering Naruto's motivation to be a Hokage. He wanted to be Hokage so he could occupy his daddy for himself. On my side, Minato glowed like a hundred volts bulb at Naruto's behavior. Because Minato thought that his son possessiveness was endearing.

"Okay! Three bowls of Miso Chashu Pork Ramen will be ready soon," exclaimed Teuchi.

As Teuchi prepared our ramen, Naruto poured all of his attention to every gesture Teuchi made, ignoring Minato who seemed wanting to say something to him. Poor Minato.

Realizing that Minato ignored by his son, he changed his attention to his other victim - er, children.

"Do you like eating outside, Miko-chan?"

"Yeah..." I paused for a bit. "It's nice to eat outside sometimes."

Truthfully, this was the first time Minato brought us outside. For the past two years, Naruto and I spent our times together without care of the outside world. We did not do play date as we did not know others in our age. I might even believe that Minato intentionally isolated us.

"Which one do you prefer? Eating inside or outside?" Minato asked me again.

"Both. I think?"

I felt unsure. Our nannies - Anbu - always cooked foods that too nutritious to my liking. It was a universal fact that nutritious foods - sometimes - were the pain the ass. At the same time, eating outside had its own disadvantage. Minato was our father, and we were his children, if we went to the outside, we were like a walking advertisement. We garnered every attention of Konoha's villagers, especially Minato's fangirls or worse fanboys.

I shivered at the notion. I even regretted thinking about that. Now, I needed a mental-bleach for my mind. Damn it!

"-chan, Miko-chan, are you cold? Your body's shivering all over."

Minato pulled a long red scarf out of thin air and wrapped it around my neck then my hands.

'Must be the work of Fuinjutsu,' suspected me. 'What a pity if I didn't learn it in this lifetime.'

"Y-yes," lied me. I did not need Minato to know what I thought before.

Later, three bowls of steamy Miso Chashu Pork Ramen served before us. Teuchi put each ramen in front of us then gave Naruto and I pairs of small plastic chopsticks, that reminding me of training chopsticks.

'Hmmm... What a thoughtful owner.' I approved Teuchi's action as I inspected my ramen. 'The look is too good to be eaten.'

Toppings of the ramen laid out beautifully as if they were a work of art. The characteristic smell of noodle and meat fused into one as the air carried it, enticing people who sniffed it. If you were here, you could see the drools that pooled on Naruto's lap.

'Minato, please swipe those drools.' I looked at Minato with an expectant gaze, but not heeded by the man whose thought misinterpreted the meaning of my gaze.

Only on his eyes that Minato thought his daughter wanted him to spoil her by spoon-feeding her.

'Ah, my daughter is cute,' thought Minato happily. 'Finally, I could redeem myself for my absence all these days.'

Because of this misunderstanding, the calm dinner became chaos. While I wanted to eat peacefully by myself, Minato insisted on helping me ate my ramen while sprouting nonsense like, "Let daddy spoil you."

* * *

It had been hours since I had my dinner and now was the bedtime. Before that, Minato spent his time with us storytelling The Tale of Utterly Gutsy Ninja. A cliche story about a man who vowed to break the circle of hatred in his world. To my amusement, Naruto pointed it out that he had the same name as the protagonist. Naturally, Naruto became so happy that he wanted to follow the protagonist's steps, to break the circle of hatred in this world.

Hearing his son said those words, Minato supported the idea and not laughed at Naruto. Even though Minato knew that Naruto did not even know the meaning of hatred yet, his heart became relieved.

'If you become a ninja, it's the same as signing a warranty for harboring and giving others your hatred, stupid fools.'

That time, I suppressed my inner thought inside, afraid that would be leaked out. After all, I knew from my own experience, jobs related to killing and protecting could be the source of someone's hatred. For example, someone's hate toward me had led me to my demise, my death. Hence, my biggest regret was I did not know the person who planned my death.

In sudden, an Anbu appeared behind Minato and gave sign language to Minato. It seemed it was important enough to make Minato's expression changed for a split second.

With that, Minato tucked us to bed early. He said how he loved us and kissed both of our foreheads before transported himself to where he was needed.

An hour had left since Minato's departure, and Naruto who slept beside me had long asleep. As for me, I could not sleep at all. I was wondering about my existence in this world.

'Why was I reincarnated and with memory intact?'

'Why was me?'

Those questions always resonated before me every time. I took a glance at Naruto. His almond face shape was not seen yet because of his chubby cheeks.

'It felt surreal to have him as my sibling.'

Naruto, my twin here, was The Child of Prophecy who would bring the peace to The Elemental Nations, the last reincarnation of Otsutsuki Asura and the Jinchuriki of Yang Kurama.

The thought of the future him flashed before my mind. However, I could only see a toddler who liked to cling to me now. Where ever place I went, he followed me while saying, Miko-tan. When I took a nap, he would hold my hands tightly and followed my action. Even his first word was Miko-tan, followed by daddy. In a word, this Naruto was not the future-Naruto I knew yet.

'Then, why would I reincarnate as his sibling, twin precisely?'

As far as I knew, Naruto was an only child. No sibling, especially twin. However, I reincarnated as his twin. I did not know if this were a God's or Devil's work for being reincarnated in this world.

These two years, I learned to accept the impossible. I tried to see Naruto as my sibling and Minato as my father, not as fictional characters. Still, it was hard for me to do so.

However, the feeling of protectiveness seemed grew in my heart for Naruto, to protect him from this cruel world.

'Yes! I will protect him,' vowed me unconsciously.

In my last life, I did not have a sibling and an orphaned from a young age. I used to wonder the feeling of having a sibling, someone who I would dote and protect for. Now, my wish came true. I had a sibling, Naruto.

'At least I will try to protect him and not repeat the same mistake again. So, when I leave this world, I will not have any regret anymore,' said me as darkness enveloped me, making me to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 **Hiya, I'm back! Finally, after finishing all of Devil's work - the examinations - for college entrance, I could breathe a fresh air of my little freedom. Thank you to you all who waited for this long, I only could say I love you for being patient and still interested with this story.**

 **So, here's 1 of 9 left behind chapter. After this, I'll regularly update again according to the schedule. Previously, I update twice-a-week. Now, I'll try to update thrice-a-week.**

 **Well, it's my ambition and dream to update every day for you. However, I'm not that skilled yet. I also want for once to reach 500 favorites/followings *wistful gaze*, and I need your help to realize it.**

 **Okay, I'll stop rambling now. Let me hear your thought about this chapter. You could also join me on Discord (please PM me if you want to join). It's still new and needs many improvements.**

 **See you in the next update!**

 **.**

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 **Ps: Shout out for my very first patron, Soulsmsher. This lowly servant thanking benefactor!**


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